A goal scored by Romanian midfielder Gheorghe Hagi for Galatasaray Istanbul in a UEFA Champions League match against AS Monaco 14 years ago might be the most beautiful goal in UEFA’s 60 years history, according to football fans who voted so far in the poll organized by UEFA.com.

UEFA, the governing body of European football, turns 60 this year and on this occasion organized a poll among users of UEFA.com site to determine the most beautiful goal scored in an official match in Europe in the last 60 years. Hagi’s goal was selected as one of the most beautiful goals scored in 2000.

The competition features some marvelous goals from star players such as Michele Platini, Marco van Basten, Paul Gascoigne, Zinedine Zidane, Raul Gonzalez, Pavel Nedved, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi.

Voting started on June 15 and will end on September 30, and the winning goal will be revealed on October 3.

So far, almost 30,000 people rated Hagi’s goal, which currently has 4.5 points out of five.

Gheorghe Hagi, 49, was one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s and is considered the greatest Romanian footballer of all times. Romanians call him “The King”. He led Romania’s national football team in three World Cup tournaments and three European Championships. With him as captain, Romania had its best international performances, getting as far as the quarter finals in the 1994 World Cup in the US.

He played for Romanian football club Steaua Bucharest, for Real Madrid ans Barcelona in Spain and for Brescia in Italy, but he reached the peak of his career playing for Turkey’s Galatasaray. With Galatasaray he won four consecutive champion’s titles in Turkey, two cups and one UEFA Cup title in 2000.

Hagi currently owns Viitorul Contanta football club.

Andrei Chirileasa, andrei@romania-insider.com